It was only a matter of time before a league desperate for attention found its own version of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. MLB struggles mightily to market its stars, even if Rob Manfred and ownership refuse to admit it. While Pittsburgh fans may know who Paul Skenes is locally, if someone in Oklahoma spotted the Pirates ace on the street, it's unlikely they'd be able to connect the dots. However, Skenes and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model Olivia Dunne are a power couple MLB can invest in, for better or worse.
Dunne was a gymnast at LSU while Skenes was the ace for the Tigers pitching staff. She has since moved on to be an influencer and celebrity in her own right. Meanwhile, Skenes is the ace of the Pirates pitching staff and among the best pitchers in baseball. He's only been in the big leagues for less than a year. The best is yet to come for both, especially if MLB continues to market both so heavily. This is their moment. Dunne recent spoke with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, of which she was the cover model, about her rise to the top:
To do so is to underestimate her smarts, and the Herculean amount of work she has put in every day to earn millions of dollars in brand deals while she blazes a new path toward financial stability for women athletes. 'People like to discredit what I do because of the way I look,' Dunne says. 'But if you take a deeper dive there’s so much more.'"
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Olivia Dunne is in attendance for Paul Skenes start vs Phillies, and so much more
Dunne and Skenes know exactly who they are, and what they are doing. There's a lot of money to be made as the faces of Major League Baseball. Skenes is an electric pitcher who throws 100 MPH+. Dunne is one of the more influential women on several social platforms, and a presence in the gymnastics world at that.
Dunne recently attended a Skenes start against the Phillies – and she is a regular presence at PNC Park in Pittsburgh – making herself known via a social media post. This is life in Dunne's world, and the Instagram story already have thousands of views. If fans weren't already tuned into Pirates-Philles (which they ought to be given Skenes start), they will be now.
That is why MLB is under great pressure to invest in this power couple while they have the chance. Whether you like Dunne and Skenes or not, you'll be watching. That's the point.